The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station by Zaha Hadid

The futuristic architecture work of Zaha Hadid will be joining the Saudi Arabia landscape with the King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station expected to open next year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station

Zaha Hadid Architects won the competition to design a Riyadh metro station back in 2013 and the project is now approaching completion. As one of the last projects designed by the late Zaha Hadid herself, this incredible architecture project will be one of the largest interchanges on the metro network.

Featuring the sleek design ethos of Zaha Hadid, the architectural model is based on sine waves – a geometric wave form that creates a smooth S shape, mimicking the pattern created by desert winds.

Why is the Riyadh Metro needed?

Riyadh's population is expected to reach 8.53 million residents within a decade. In response to this rapid growth – more than doubling since 1990 – the Riyadh Development Authority (RDA) is developing the Riyadh Metro, a new public transport system for the city with 6 lines and 85 new stations. This initiative aims to reduce the city's reliance upon cars and aims to cut the number of car journeys by up to 2 million per day.

With an expected opening date of 2025, the new Metro system is expected to transport up to 3.6 million passengers a day by 2030 and should be reaching full capacity in time for the World Expo 2030 – a six-month-long international exhibition curated under the title The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.

The King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station is not only a key piece of the transport puzzle for Riyadh – it is also a dynamic public space, with four public floors and two levels of underground parking.